Breaking The Silence - Forensic Nursing
It was in 1992 when the term Forensic nursing was first heard.
But what is it exactly? Forensic nursing is a specialty field
that deals with the care of crime victims, collecting evidences
and providing health care services in the prison system. It is a
combined health care and judicial system profession to be
precise. International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) is
the official association of forensic nurses established in 1992
by a team of nurses who specialize in sexual assault examination.
1. A Day In The Life
Contrary to popular belief forensic nurses don't spend their day
hanging around with corpses. Examining victims of sexual assault
and training colleagues how to treat violently injured patients
eat up most of these nurses days. Another related job for a
forensic nurse is providing counsel to schoolchildren who fired
guns.
2. Training
Training as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is the entry-level
position you need to obtain in order to break into forensic
nursing. The nurse should be a Registered Nurse (RN) before
being able to complete the specialized training needed to meet
the standards of the IAFN. Forty hours of didactics and forty
hours of clinical work are also needed. The nurse should be
trained in handling and collecting evidences like hairs, fibers
and swabs of fluids for DNA testing.
Forensic nursing is not limited to helping rape victims.
Forensic nurses also work with other types of interpersonal
abuse such as domestic violence, child and elderly abuse,
neglect and physiological, as well as psychological abuse. They
could also examine victims of near-fatal or fatal traumas like
shooting or stabbing.
A lot of forensic nurses work as nurse examiners in the
emergency rooms in the hospitals. In cases like shooting or
stabbing, the forensic nurse works in collecting bullets and
other debris left in the body that will help in the
investigation. Removing the clothes the victim is wearing and
storing them in a special bags are also some of their duties.
They also have to photograph and measure the wounds of the
patients. In case the victim dies, the nurse has to work with
the medical examiner (ME).
3. Other Considerations
Forensic nurses are qualified to testify in court as an expert
witness or a fact witness. As an expert witness, the nurse is
allowed to give his or her opinions while on the witness stands
in order to shed light on the case. On the other hand, as a fact
witness, the nurse is only to state the details and answer the
questions. A forensic nurse should state the information in an
objective manner. It means that he or she should not speak for
or against either the victim or the accused. As the duty calls
for it, the nurse only has to state the information he or she
obtained, not make conjecture about what he or she thinks
happened.
4. Tools of the Trade
A forensic nurse should also know how to use different tools in
order to document what he or she has gathered during the
examination or treatment process.
- A digital camera - An Omnichrome - A Coloscope
To date, specialty areas are being related to forensic nursing.
This includes a Forensic Nurse Specialist, Forensic Nurse
Investigator, Nurse Coroner or what is known as Death
Investigator, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Legal Nurse
Consultant, Forensic Gerontology Specialist, Forensic
Psychiatric Nurse and a Correctional Nursing Specialist.
Forensic nursing is a growing industry in the field of nursing.
More and more nurses are being drawn to it. Nursing schools are
also taking notice of this need. Forensic Nurse Programs are now
being offered in nursing schools.